Right now, it looks like, unless Nellum completely runs out of gas after NCAAs (and that's certainly happened to people before), Wariner has to beat Mance and McQuay to get a spot on the team in the open 400. And it's really not time, but relative performance that matters.

Mance ran 45.08 at MtSac, Wariner was 45.35 I think, and McQuay was 45.15. It's probably going to come down to a dogfight in the USATF finals between those three, and it appears that Jeremy is gaining on them. Also Bingham, who beat Wariner recently.

So I think Hart and Wariner have something positivie to take out of this.

BTW, I'm wasting a few minutes in Austin where we're trying to actually get ALL of the NCAA regionals in, and the weather sucks (again). It rained here again earlier and is now clearing. So you have the situation where there's water everywhere and the humidity doesn't feel far from 100%....and the temp is 80F and rising.

Merritt and Nellum seem to be out of reach for anyone else in the US now. The 3rd 400 slot is up for grabs. It appears to be very close between Mance and Wariner now....and due to the aerobic emphasis earlier, Hart athletes tend to come into form late.

Merritt and Nellum seem to be out of reach for anyone else in the US now. The 3rd 400 slot is up for grabs. It appears to be very close between Mance and Wariner now....and due to the aerobic emphasis earlier, Hart athletes tend to come into form late.

Wariner has to beat Mance, not the clock.

Wariner has to beat Mance, McQuay and everyone else. And, he won't do it running 45.7 -- or even 45.3. The time is obviously a factor.